To evaluate the validity, reliability, and performance of the Health Assessment Questionnaire-II(HAQ-II) Spanish version questionnaire to measure physical function.
A cross-sectional study of 496 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, distributed in 2 samples. The construct validity was evaluated employing the confirmatory factor analysis and the validity based on the relationship with other variables. Cronbach's alpha (α) and McDonald's omega (ω) coefficient were used to determine reliability. Item performance was analysed by fitting different models of item response theory.
The one-factor model presented a poor fit in the confirmatory factor analysis; an exploratory factor analysis was carried out, which suggested a 2-factor structure. The confirmatory factor analysis in the second sample confirmed that the second-order model had a good fit to the data. The general factor explained more than 70% of the variance. The reliability indices showed adequate internal consistency (α=.92-.95; ω=.88-.93). Ninety-three percent of the contrasting hypotheses about the relationship of the HAQ-II scores with other variables were confirmed, demonstrating their convergent, divergent, and known group validity. The multidimensional graduated response model was the one that best predicted person's interaction with the items.
The Spanish version of the HAQ-II presents adequate validity and reliability for measuring Mexican patients' physical function with rheumatoid arthritis.
The Spanish version of the HAQ-II presents adequate validity and reliability for measuring Mexican patients' physical function with rheumatoid arthritis.Mutations in the mitochondrial DNA polymerase gamma catalytic subunit (POLγA) compromise the stability of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) by leading to mutations, deletions and depletions in mtDNA. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/harmine.html Patients with mutations in POLγA often differ remarkably in disease severity and age of onset. In this work we have studied the functional consequence of POLγA mutations in a patient with an uncommon and a very severe disease phenotype characterized by prenatal onset with intrauterine growth restriction, lactic acidosis from birth, encephalopathy, hepatopathy, myopathy, and early death. Muscle biopsy identified scattered COX-deficient muscle fibers, respiratory chain dysfunction and mtDNA depletion. We identified a novel POLγA mutation (p.His1134Tyr) in trans with the previously identified p.Thr251Ile/Pro587Leu double mutant. Biochemical characterization of the purified recombinant POLγA variants showed that the p.His1134Tyr mutation caused severe polymerase dysfunction. The p.Thr251Ile/Pro587Leu mutation caused reduced polymerase function in conditions of low dNTP concentration that mimic postmitotic tissues. Critically, when p.His1134Tyr and p.Thr251Ile/Pro587Leu were combined under these conditions, mtDNA replication was severely diminished and featured prominent stalling. Our data provide a molecular explanation for the patient´s mtDNA depletion and clinical features, particularly in tissues such as brain and muscle that have low dNTP concentration.A novel energy-efficient DPR + PDA (denitrifying phosphorus removal and partial denitrification anammox) process for enhanced nitrogen and phosphorus removal was developed in the combined ABR-CSTR reactor. After 220 days operation, excellent total inorganic nitrogen (TIN) and phosphorus removal (97.57% and 95.66%, respectively) were obtained under external C/NO3--N of 0.7, with the effluent TIN and PO43--P concentrations of 3.51 mg/L and 0.28 mg/L, respectively. At the steady period, DPR contributed major TN removal (58.65%), while PDA mediated an increasingly considerable impact and finally achieved 37.07%, in which anammox accounted for a significant percentage. Batch tests demonstrated that efficient PD with nitrate-to-nitrite transformation ratio of 97.67% supplying stable nitrite for anammox, and phosphorus was mainly removed using nitrate as electron acceptor via DPR with the ideal phosphorus release/uptake rate (7.73/22.17 mgP/gVSS/h). Accumulibacter (6.24%) dominated high phosphorus removal performance, while Thauera (8.26%) and Candidatus Brocadia (2.57%) represented the superior nitrogen removal performance.Worldwide worries upsurge concerning environmental pollutions triggered by the accumulation of plastic wastes. Biopolymers are promising candidates for resolving these difficulties by replacing non-biodegradable plastics. Among biopolymers, polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), are natural polymers that are synthesized and accumulated in a range of microorganisms, are considered as promising biopolymers since they have biocompatibility, biodegradability, and other physico-chemical properties comparable to those of synthetic plastics. Consequently, considerable research have been attempted to advance a better understanding of mechanisms related to the metabolic synthesis and characteristics of PHAs and to develop native and recombinant microorganisms that can proficiently produce PHAs comprising desired monomers with high titer and productivity for industrial applications. Recent developments in metabolic engineering and synthetic biology applied to enhance PHA synthesis include, promoter engineering, ribosome-binding site (RBS) engineering, development of synthetic constructs etc. This review gives a brief overview of metabolic routes and regulators of PHA production and its intervention strategies.Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) has emerged in recent years as an important physicochemical process for organizing diverse processes within cells via the formation of membraneless organelles termed biomolecular condensates. Emerging evidence now suggests that the formation and regulation of biomolecular condensates are also intricately linked to cancer formation and progression. We review the most recent literature linking the existence and/or dissolution of biomolecular condensates to different hallmarks of cancer formation and progression. We then discuss the opportunities that this condensate perspective provides for cancer research and the development of novel therapeutic approaches, including the perturbation of condensates by small-molecule inhibitors.